Bears 11.0: Free Agency, College Pro days, Draft & beyond

[MalagaBulls]

Prior thread is approaching 2K posts.

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[TheSuzerain]

Seems like all the OTs are measuring bad.

[Dresden]

Maybe this is an exceptionally bad year for centers, but it seems like every year there are a couple of rookie centers that start and do a good job. We could trade down to later in the first round and still get the best one.

[jordanwilliams6]

I'm still keen on drafting an EDGE with our first pick and addressing the O line in FA. Depending on who we land, I'd then draft a couple of O line picks with both of our 2nd round picks.

[Jvaughn]

Maybe this is an exceptionally bad year for centers, but it seems like every year there are a couple of rookie centers that start and do a good job. We could trade down to later in the first round and still get the best one.

Pairing Caleb back with Jonah Monheim could be low risk high reward. He's not expected to be a day 1 picks, so could probably get him with one of our later picks. Was hoping to see more of him at the combine, but he elected not to participate.

[nomorezorro]

i’m more or less at peace with whatever direction the team decides to go in at 10, but if it were up to me, i’m personally way more comfortable picking one of campbell/membou/simmons than i am with any of the EDGE guys who might be in the mix. just don’t think we’re in a good position to take a big swing on an all-traits no-production guy

general preference is something like:

1. stick and pick graham or campbell
2. trade back to ~20 and take the best OL/DL available
3. membou or simmons
4. harmon or nolen
5. mykel williams
6. jeanty
7. shemar stewart

[Mindcrime]

Membou is such a freak and so tenacious, he almost injured a coach holding a bag at one of the drills, loved it!

[molepharmer]

Membou is such a freak and so tenacious, he almost injured a coach holding a bag at one of the drills, loved it!

From The Athletic https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6170666/2025/03/03/nfl-scouting-combine-takeaways-offensive-linemen/

".....Ersery is an intriguing talent. He’s enormous at 6-6, 331....He ran 1.75 in Indy, but his 5.01 40 time is still very impressive for a guy that size. Only two other OT prospects of 330-plus pounds produced a sub-5.05 40 time and jumped over 9 feet in the broad jump in the past decade: Membou and Darnell Wright in 2023. Ersery broad jumped 9-3 and vertical jumped 29.5 inches.....

[biggestbullsfan]

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As a bridge edge, i would love to have him back at the right price.

[CROBulls]

Mack at right price is Ryan Pac *cough* Poles deal of the summer.

[TheEndIsNigh]

As someone who previously thought the obvious value at 10 would be one of the 2nd tier edge prospects, Membou is really growing on me. He had athleticism and decent feet, I don't think you have to squint that hard to see him at LT.

I wouldn't hate an off-season that looked something like:

Membou - 1st
Booker - 2nd
Jared Wilson - 3rd

With Zeitler and Shelton as transitional signings.

It doesn't give us a huge improvement next season, but it sets us up for sustained improvement if these guys hit.

[MalagaBulls]

I could get behind this Oline scenario:

LT: Braxton Jones
LG: Aaron Banks
C: Drew Dalman
RG: Tyler Booker
RT: Darnell Wright

[HearshotKDS]

I'd be nervous of any player recovering from a significant Patellar Tendon injury, especially if the team isnt backed into a wall and forced to gamble to fill that position. To me Simmons is a hard pass, and if Bears are going to go OT @10 then Banks and/or Membou seem like the obvious and easy decision to make. Still not convinced thats better than DL. Given the Bears needs and Dennis Allens alleged "peculiarities" around DE size it really does feel like the best thing the Bears could do is find a trade down, really to almost anywhere in the 1st, and then decide what to do with that lower pick when you get there.

[Dresden]

I'd be nervous of any player recovering from a significant Patellar Tendon injury, especially if the team isnt backed into a wall and forced to gamble to fill that position. To me Simmons is a hard pass, and if Bears are going to go OT @10 then Banks and/or Membou seem like the obvious and easy decision to make. Still not convinced thats better than DL. Given the Bears needs and Dennis Allens alleged "peculiarities" around DE size it really does feel like the best thing the Bears could do is find a trade down, really to almost anywhere in the 1st, and then decide what to do with that lower pick when you get there.

Yeah I would hope Poles tries really really hard to find someone to trade down with. Looking at mock drafts, there are plenty of linemen on both sides of the ball slotted in the 18-30 range. Take your pick there, and then use that other pick on whatever- more line help, a RB, a safety, a corner- lots of needs.

Harrison Graham thinks the Bears could use their high second on Omarion Hampton, the RB.

[HearshotKDS]

I'd be nervous of any player recovering from a significant Patellar Tendon injury, especially if the team isnt backed into a wall and forced to gamble to fill that position. To me Simmons is a hard pass, and if Bears are going to go OT @10 then Banks and/or Membou seem like the obvious and easy decision to make. Still not convinced thats better than DL. Given the Bears needs and Dennis Allens alleged "peculiarities" around DE size it really does feel like the best thing the Bears could do is find a trade down, really to almost anywhere in the 1st, and then decide what to do with that lower pick when you get there.

Yeah I would hope Poles tries really really hard to find someone to trade down with. Looking at mock drafts, there are plenty of linemen on both sides of the ball slotted in the 18-30 range. Take your pick there, and then use that other pick on whatever- more line help, a RB, a safety, a corner- lots of needs.

Harrison Graham thinks the Bears could use their high second on Omarion Hampton, the RB.

I dont think Hampton lasts to 39 but if he did I think it would be a great pick for Chicago.

[Dresden]

I didn't follow Hampton at UNC but from his highlights he looks a lot more like Marshawn Lynch than Jahmyr Gibbs or Saquaon Barkley. 3rd or 4th and short wouldn't be a problem anymore with him toting the rock.

[biggestbullsfan]

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[patryk7754]

I didn't follow Hampton at UNC but from his highlights he looks a lot more like Marshawn Lynch than Jahmyr Gibbs or Saquaon Barkley. 3rd or 4th and short wouldn't be a problem anymore with him toting the rock.

I like Hampton, but it doesn't seem like he has the explosiveness that Johnson would want from his RB. I actually think he has a similar running style to Barkely, but obliviously lacks Barkley explosiveness. My guess for what Johnson and Poles will want out of a RB is explosiveness, versatility, and catching ability. I think Trey Henderson checks all those boxes and will be available in the 2nd or 3rd.

ironically, if Swift knew how to hit open gaps and follow blocks, he'd be the ideal back, but he lacks a crazy amount of running awareness.

[Peelboy]

My $.02 offseason:
- Sign Dalman (4/$64), Banks (4/$56) to big deals.
- Sign Zeitler to short term deal ($1/$7).
- Sign Mack (1/$12) and Javon Hargrave (1/$8) to short term deals.

- Draft BPA in 1st. In order I'd say Campbell/Membou, then Graham/Williams/Pearce with an outlier for Jeanty if they really think he's a stud and have stoked the OL/DL in FA.
- 2d/3d I want to complete the "stack" such that you end up with 2 OL and at least one DL in the top 3 rounds. Guys like Zabel, Ersery, Jackson, Zavinaiiea for OL and on the DL, Harmon, Ezeiraku, Umanmielen, Sanders, Tyliek Williams. If an RB like Hampton/Johnson slides a bit and you have the lines, I could jump on him.

Remaining Fa $ and draft probably need to add a TE, LB, S.

[HBK9]

Trade: Rams are in the process of sending veteran offensive lineman Jonah Jackson to the Chicago Bears in exchange for a 2025 sixth-round pick, per ESPN’s @CourtneyRCronin. The trade cannot be processed until March 12.